Page 9 of Pretty Little Lies

“And let’s keep it that way for now,” Emilio vouches. “I need to work a few things first before I decide on the best course of action.”

“I hope you’re not expecting grandchildren because your son loves dick,” I express because, again,asshole. And, as I said…no brother of mine, straight or gay, is going to fuck Bay Astor.

And, even then, anyone fucking else.

“You’re playing with fire, Pops,” I divulge through my clenched jaw. “Bay Astor isn’t some stupid chick who’s going be chomping at the bit for a Landings boyfriend.”

“Then maybe I’ll just keep myself as the only man in her life then,” he replies with a smirk. “We’ll see if I decide to declare to the world that Haven Wildes is back from the dead.”

THREE

bay

It’s beenover eight hours since I broke the news to Levi about my lineage before Mae strode through the kitchen, demanding all of his attention.

And, while I’m grateful for the brief recess on the manner, I’m ready to get this over with.

It takes Dad falling asleep, Ellie wanting me to paint her nails and pose for a few selfies together, Mae wanting four books read in specific voices, before Levi and I are forced to be alone.

This is literally worse than last night.

I mean, that’s ignorant as shit to say when the alternative could’ve been that I was brutally assaulted if Reeve wasn’t there, but the way Levi shoots me a look of betrayal and loathing, I’m feeling pretty small right now.

We silently agree to go outside, both of us aware that Levi’s voice doesn’t tend to be indoor volume level and enter the garage.

Dad’s Nova sits in the middle, along with the radio softly playing an oldies station in the background. I wish I could drop into the driver’s seat and drive away with him in the passenger seat, but this isn’t time for a joyride.

It was time for reality and all my deception to finally come to a head and for me to face the consequences.

Levi pulls out a cigarette and lights it. The flames from the lighter displaying the hard lines of his jaw as he slices his vacant green eyes to me. “Explain.”

Where to start?

I inhale, allowing one last full fill of my lungs before raising my chin and starting. “Emilio approached me one night atThe Stowaway. I didn’t know who he was, but some entitled-looking prick with an expensive watch and suit. He ordered a drink, then he dropped Paisley’s name like it was nothing. Imagine my surprise and how quickly my guard went up with the mere mention of that bitch.”

Levi sucks in a hit of his cigarette but doesn’t speak.

“I, um…I didn’t feed into having any acknowledgement of her and claimed that I didn’t know who he was talking about. But then he called me out on it. Called me out by name and that he knew exactly who I was.”

“You’re telling me that Emilio Wildeswalkedinto South Shore?”

I heave my shoulders. “Skipped, drove a bike, I didn’t ask for his mode of transportation. However, I did tell him to take a long walk…which he wouldn’t do. I was going to call for one of the bouncers, but then he warned me not to. Then, he dropped his name…and how I was his long-lost daughter. I…didn’t believe him. It made no sense. Everything was this ragey blur, and I just wanted him to leave. But when I kept shoving his bullshit away, Emilio admitted to sending those two men who broke into the house. He mentioned Dad, Ellie, and Mae…purposely hinting that he pretty much knew how to slay me in half if I kept denying that being his daughter could be a possibility. He also handed me hair samples to do my own DNA test.”

Levi exhales smoke through his nose and carefully watches me. “Then what?”

“Travis had one done in a lab up in Montana. It’s legit. I’m?—”

“Travisis in this,” he grounds out, his countenance hard as his green eyes follow my every move and word. “And youstilldidn’t tell me?”

The disappointment in his question slaps all the wrongdoings of my actions and lack of apprise across my face and comes back to punch me in the chest.

This is karma—bright, colorful and bleakly stale.

“Yes.”

“Bay—”

“Emilio has reach,” I emit through clenched fists, ignoring the way my heart is racing and the sweat blanketing over the back of my neck. My guilt is eating me alive, and I can feel it gnawing away at my confidence to keep going. But I need my best friend to know that, even though I’m the spawn of Satan, I still love him and would never do anything to hurt him. “He threatened Ellie and Mae?—”

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